


Arrogance and Innocence

by flightinflame



Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies)
Genre: Charles Xavier has a Ph.D in Adorable, Erik Logic Is The Best Logic, Gen, Protective Charles Xavier, Protective Siblings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-08
Updated: 2019-12-08
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:15:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21718267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flightinflame/pseuds/flightinflame
Summary: Erik can't stand the obnoxious and wealthy Charles Xavier. Only, appearances can be deceiving.
Relationships: Erik Lehnsherr & Charles Xavier, Raven | Mystique & Charles Xavier
Comments: 12
Kudos: 54
Collections: Secret Mutant Madness 2019





	Arrogance and Innocence

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by [kianspo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kianspo/pseuds/kianspo) in the [secret_mutant_madness_2019](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/secret_mutant_madness_2019) collection. 



> **Prompt:**
> 
> College AU. Erik thinks Charles Xavier is an arrogant, rich brat, whose only redeeming quality is his intellect. Charles never disputes this image. Then through an accident Erik finds out that Charles has been long cut off from his family and is essentially a single parent to a ten-year-old Raven.

Charles Xavier was not an easy man to like. At least, Erik thought that - he appeared to be the only one in their class that did. Charles always had all of the others fawning over him, humans and mutants alike, and it made Erik's skin crawl. Something about how easily Charles was able to persuade people to his point of view set Erik's teeth on edge, brought back ideas he would rather not consider too deeply.

Everyone else thought he was ridiculous - even Emma had been swayed over, relieved to finally find someone with some class. So he had to tolerate Xavier, and smile politely and pretend he wasn't dreaming of punching the man's face in. It wasn't always the easiest thing to do, but he was nothing if not determined. He wanted to get through school, for his mother and to prove to himself that he wasn't a failure. If that meant dealing with Xavier's arrogance on a group project, he could manage it.

When they were told to find partners, he was the one to approach Xavier. Because for all he didn't like him - he knew that Xavier got good marks. Working with the other man was his best chance of a passing grade in science, which was his worst subject. He ran the maths through in his mind, and pushed aside his pride, because there were things more important.

So he made his way over to the other man's desk, stopped beside his wheelchair, and made himself smile.  
"You still looking for a partner?"

And Xavier, smarmy bastard that he was, looked up at him and smiled and nodded, and then frowned a little.  
"I'm sorry I remind-"

"I'd rather not have this conversation." Erik said sharply, his teeth clenched into a frozen grin. He was aware it looked concerning. That was the point, he wanted to make Charles drop the topic. After a few moments it worked, and Charles nodded, holding out a brand new top of the range phone, the kind that cost more per month than Erik earned in his two after college jobs. "If you could give me your number, maybe we could work out a time we can meet up and talk over the project?"

Erik wanted to say no. To argue his number was private. But he could see the logic there, and he wasn't actually trying to provoke the other man. After a couple of moments he nodded, taking the phone and punching in the number, passive aggressively saving his number as 'E. Lehnsherr'.

Then he'd had to head off, to catch his bus, and get to his job at a nearby supermarket, before he'd be going to wait tables later in the evening. Charles had wished him a pleasant night, and Erik had almost punched him again, picturing Charles returning to the kind of castle he probably lived in - some sprawling estate, of the type Emma had been born in to.

They did the project, they got an A, and Erik managed to avoid punching Charles in the face. He felt that it was a success all round, and was relieved that he would no longer have to work with Charles. The next project, Charles managed to pair up with McCoy, and he got paired with Darwin, who was at least pretty patient at explaining, and was a mutant. 

He forgot that Charles had his number, until Charles called him one day on a Saturday evening. Seeing 'Rich snob' flash up on his phone almost made him hang up, but he decided to be polite. That way, if Charles was obnoxious, he'd have even more reason to dislike him, and if he was polite Charles would have no reason to complain at him.

"What is it?"

"I'm ever so sorry to bother you, Erik." Charles started, his voice as perfect and obnoxious as ever. "I really hate to ask this, but could you possibly collect someone for me."

"I'm not your chauffeur." Erik snapped, going to hang up the phone, but he paused when Charles yelped.

"I'm sorry. My chair isn't working at all, it fell over and one of the wheels has buckled, I'm stuck here until I can-"

"I can do that." Erik snapped. "Did you forget I can control metal?"

"I didn't want to ask too much of you my friend." Charles answered. "I just need to get my sister."

"You have a sister?" Erik asked, shocked, picturing some obnoxious co-ed with the same brilliant eyes as her brother. "I don't get why you need me to collect her? Can't she make her own way home?"

"Erik?" Charles sighed slightly, and his voice was shaking. "Please. She's ten."

Erik froze, staring at the phone in his hand, and then sighed.  
"I'll get her." If there was one thing his mother had taught him, it was that you didn't turn away from people in need - especially children. 

"Thank you," Charles said, and he sounded like he was close to tears. "I'm sorry, I couldn't have asked anyone else."

"Just tell me where to go." Erik insisted, and headed to the dance school. Charles had said he'd call up to explain, and Erik just needed to collect her. Erik was expecting some obnoxious brats ballet, and told himself that he was only doing this this once because he couldn't leave a kid on her own.

Turning up at the local Mutant Youth Centre was a surprise. Of course, he knew Charles was a telepath, and it was likely his sister was gifted as well. But this place wasn't the kind of place he could picture Charles. Erik had gone to the one near him as a child, and he knew what they were like - underfunded, staff desperately doing all they could with far too little and far too much demand.

There were a few children milling around by the doorway when he arrived, and he walked over to the teacher, who had beautiful dragon-fly wings. She smiled at him.  
"Oh, you must be Erik," she greeted him. "Here, could you take this for Mister Xavier?" She held out a bag, and he took it, glancing inside to see some tins and pasta. 

Erik frowned.  
"What are-" this place clearly needed some decorating, and for them to hand out food - parcels like this should only go to the most needy.

"Please?" she asked softly. "I worry about him. Raven says he didn't eat last night again..."

"Of course, I'll give it to him." Erik frowned, scanning the crowd. "Which is..."

"Raven!" The dance teacher called out. "This is Erik, he's going to take you home to your brother. You know what to do if you have any problems?"

"Turn into a six foot tall guy and punch him in the face!" Raven parroted, giggling up at her teacher, who laughed and hugged her. Then she followed Erik.

"Hi!" She greeted him, her blonde hair bouncing as she walked. "You're Erik right? You helped Charles with his science project!"

"I am," Erik agreed. "So you're a mutant?"

"Yes! You are too!" She nodded. "You can make metal things float right? Here!" She pulled off her necklace, which had a little butterfly charm on it, the metal of it tarnished with wear. "Please?"

Erik rolled his eyes, but he made the metal float around in front of her. She squealed, and bounced, and tried to demonstrate her dance moves, and Erik listened as she explained all about the different students in the class.

They reached a run down looking apartment block, and Raven jumped up the first step, pulling a key from her pocket.  
"Thank you!" She reached for the bag of food. "You can go now, I'm safe."

"It's okay. I want to fix Charles's chair." He explained, following her inside. The apartment was tidy, if in need of decoration, and Charles was sat on the sofa, a nasty bruise across his face.

"Charles?" Erik rushed over to him. "What happened?"

"I slipped." Charles looked down. "I was climbing out of the bath, and got halfway through transferring to my chair when it buckled..." He sighed, and then stared at the bag. "Did Angel give you more food?"

"She's worried about us," Raven answered, and Erik hesitated.

"You want me to go fix your chair?"

"Please." Charles answered, and Erik went through, frowning when he saw it. It was made of flimsy metal, not the one Charles used at school - it was barely holding itself together.

"Where's your wheelchair?" Erik asked, floating this one through to the other room and straightening out the frame.

"It..." Charles hesitated. _It got repossessed, because I've been struggling with rent this month, it's only a temporary problem, just..._ "Thank you for fixing the chair, you can go now."

"Charles." Erik looked at the little girl, then at him. "I want to know what's going on..."

Charles hesitated, looking at Raven. "Darling, could you make me some tea? And...coffee, for Erik?"

She skipped off, and Charles leaned forwards, sighing.  
"I'm sorry. I've.. my step father and I have had a slight... falling out. So I am in the process of trying to take them to court for what is rightfully mine.. you know the Xavier estate on Greymalkin... that should be mine. Only I stormed out because..." He looked down. _He tried to hit Raven, and I had to get her out of it. It was rather an abrupt departure. So I transferred schools, and set up here, and it will all be alright soon, it's just taking a little longer than it should so_

"You didn't say?"

"I didn't want to worry anyone. It will be sorted soon, I am sure of it, I just need to ..." Charles protested, and Erik looked at him. Really looked, and saw not just the obnoxious bastard that got good grades, but a scared kid who was trying to look after his sister in a world that wasn't going at all how he planned. He swallowed, thought of his mother and his late father, and did the only thing he could.  
"You should come home with me. My mother would love to meet Raven."

Possibly it was a sign of just how much Charles was struggling, that after a moment he nodded.  
"I'll pay you back."

"No, you won't." Erik said firmly. _We'll just get this sorted and then you aren't my problem any more._

Charles smiled, and nodded, and let Erik levitate his chair down the step. Erik couldn’t help noticing he was cute when he smiled.


End file.
